Returnees are rarely given a voice in migration policy. Instead, they are talked about as numbers, problems, or passive recipients of aid. But what happens when we actually listen to them? In this video, Lisa Pfister shares key findings from the FAiR project on how return migration is discussed in countries like Nigeria, Iraq, Georgia, and Türkiye. Research reveals that dominant discourses consistently silence returnees by stripping them of agency. They are defined by others, not by themselves. However, diaspora communities in Europe are pushing back. Through WhatsApp groups and social media, they create alternative discourses—sharing grounded experiences of return, reintegration, resistance, and mutual support. These perspectives are often overlooked, yet they hold critical insights for designing more effective and inclusive policies. Why does this matter? Because discourses don’t just describe migration; they shape it. If return is framed as a threat, policies become controlling. If returnees are framed as contributors, policies become inclusive. Let’s start by asking: Whose voices shape the discourse on return? And how do we make space for those who left?